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Madrid in 3 days: itinerary with walking times

Spending 3 days in Madrid? This plan fits 18 sights into 3 relaxed days, ordered so you walk as little as possible. Highlights include Puerta del Sol (Kilometre Zero, Bear and Strawberry Tree), Chocolatería San Ginés (chocolate con churros) and Plaza Mayor. Every stop lists opening hours, prices, the walk to the next one and good places to eat nearby.

Last updated: 20 October 2026

Open this plan in the planner → Reorder, add or remove stops, and print your own version.

Day 1 Sol & Gran Vía · Austrias & Royal Palace

  1. Photo: Matt Joseph · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia

    Puerta del Sol (Kilometre Zero, Bear and Strawberry Tree)

    Square & street · Sol & Gran Vía · 20 min

    Madrid's central square, with Kilometre Zero, the Bear and Strawberry Tree statue and the Casa de Correos clock.

    Opening hours: Always open
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: Museo del Jamón (Carrera de San Jerónimo) (Tapas & bars · € · Sol & Gran Vía) · 🚶 3 min walk
    Lhardy (Traditional Madrid · €€€ · Sol & Gran Vía) · 🚶 3 min walk

  2. 🚶 0.5 km · 7 min walk → Chocolatería San Ginés (chocolate con churros)

  3. Photo: Tamorlan · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia

    Chocolatería San Ginés (chocolate con churros)

    Food & drink · Sol & Gran Vía · 30 min

    Madrid's classic churros with thick hot chocolate since 1894, in a narrow passage near Puerta del Sol.

    Opening hours: Always open, daily
    Price: undefined

    Eat nearby: Casa Puerto Rico (Traditional Madrid · € · Sol & Gran Vía) · 🚶 3 min walk
    Bar Postas (Traditional Madrid · € · Sol & Gran Vía) · 🚶 3 min walk

  4. 🚶 0.3 km · 3 min walk → Plaza Mayor

  5. Photo: Jorge Franganillo · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia

    Plaza Mayor

    Square & street · Austrias & Royal Palace · 25 min

    The 17th-century arcaded square of the Habsburg city, with the Casa de la Panadería frescoes and the King Philip III statue.

    Opening hours: Always open
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: Bar La Campana (Traditional Madrid · € · Austrias & Royal Palace) · 🚶 2 min walk
    Los Galayos (Traditional Madrid · €€ · Austrias & Royal Palace) · 🚶 2 min walk

  6. 🚶 0.2 km · 3 min walk → Mercado de San Miguel

  7. Photo: Fernando · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia

    Mercado de San Miguel

    Shopping & markets · Austrias & Royal Palace · 45 min

    A cast-iron 1916 market hall turned gourmet tapas market, with stalls of ham, oysters, pintxos and wine.

    Opening hours: Sun–Thu 10:00–24:00, Fri–Sat 10:00–01:00
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: Mesón del Champiñón (Tapas & bars · € · Austrias & Royal Palace) · 🚶 1 min walk
    Sobrino de Botín (Traditional Madrid · €€€ · Austrias & Royal Palace) · 🚶 2 min walk

  8. 🚶 0.8 km · 10 min walk → Royal Palace (Palacio Real)

  9. Photo: Tim Adams · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia

    Royal Palace (Palacio Real)

    Palace & church · Austrias & Royal Palace · 90 min

    Europe's largest working royal palace, with 2,000 rooms, the Throne Room, Royal Armoury and Royal Pharmacy.

    Opening hours: Mon–Sat 10:00–18:00, Sun 10:00–16:00 (Oct–Mar); Apr–Sep Mon–Sat until 19:00
    Price: €18

    Eat nearby: Café de Oriente (Café · €€€ · Austrias & Royal Palace) · 🚶 5 min walk
    Casa Ciriaco (Traditional Madrid · €€ · Austrias & Royal Palace) · 🚶 6 min walk

  10. 🚶 0.4 km · 5 min walk → Almudena Cathedral
  11. Lunch suggestion Café de Oriente (Café · €€€ · Austrias & Royal Palace)
    near Royal Palace (Palacio Real) · 🚶 0.4 km · 5 min walk

  12. Photo: Fernando · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia

    Almudena Cathedral

    Palace & church · Austrias & Royal Palace · 40 min

    Madrid's neo-Gothic cathedral facing the Royal Palace, with a colourful modern interior and a dome terrace.

    Opening hours: Daily 10:00–20:30 (Sep–Jun); museum and dome Mon–Sat 10:00–14:30
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: Casa Ciriaco (Traditional Madrid · €€ · Austrias & Royal Palace) · 🚶 4 min walk
    Café de Oriente (Café · €€€ · Austrias & Royal Palace) · 🚶 6 min walk

  13. Dinner suggestion Casa Ciriaco (Traditional Madrid · €€ · Austrias & Royal Palace)
    near Almudena Cathedral · 🚶 0.3 km · 4 min walk

Day 2 Huertas & Paseo del Arte · Retiro & Salamanca

  1. Photo: Jorge Láscar · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia

    Barrio de las Letras (Huertas)

    Square & street · Huertas & Paseo del Arte · 60 min

    The old literary quarter where Cervantes and Lope de Vega lived, with quotes set in the pavement and lively tapas bars.

    Opening hours: Always open
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: La Casa del Abuelo (Tapas & bars · €€ · Huertas & Paseo del Arte) · 🚶 2 min walk
    Las Bravas (Tapas & bars · € · Sol & Gran Vía) · 🚶 3 min walk

  2. 🚶 1.0 km · 13 min walk → Prado Museum

  3. Photo: Emilio J. Rodríguez Posada · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia

    Prado Museum

    Museum · Huertas & Paseo del Arte · 150 min

    Spain's national art museum, with Velázquez's Las Meninas, Goya's Black Paintings and Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights.

    Opening hours: Mon–Sat 10:00–20:00, Sun and holidays 10:00–19:00; free Mon–Sat 18:00–20:00, Sun 17:00–19:00
    Price: €15

    Eat nearby: Taberna Los Gatos (Tapas & bars · € · Huertas & Paseo del Arte) · 🚶 6 min walk
    Taberna de la Dolores (Tapas & bars · € · Huertas & Paseo del Arte) · 🚶 6 min walk

  4. 🚶 0.5 km · 6 min walk → Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

  5. Photo: Kyle Magnuson from Los Angeles, United States · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia

    Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

    Museum · Huertas & Paseo del Arte · 100 min

    A private collection from Italian primitives to Pop Art, filling the gaps left by the Prado and the Reina Sofía.

    Opening hours: Tue–Fri and Sun 10:00–19:00, Sat 10:00–23:00; Mon 12:00–16:00 (free)
    Price: €14

    Eat nearby: Cervecería Cervantes (Tapas & bars · € · Huertas & Paseo del Arte) · 🚶 5 min walk
    Taberna de la Dolores (Tapas & bars · € · Huertas & Paseo del Arte) · 🚶 5 min walk

  6. 🚶 0.5 km · 7 min walk → Plaza de Cibeles & CentroCentro (Palacio de Cibeles)
  7. Lunch suggestion Cervecería Cervantes (Tapas & bars · € · Huertas & Paseo del Arte)
    near Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum · 🚶 0.4 km · 5 min walk

  8. Photo: Miguel Diaz from Boadilla del Monte, España-Spain · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia

    Plaza de Cibeles & CentroCentro (Palacio de Cibeles)

    Square & street · Huertas & Paseo del Arte · 30 min

    Madrid's emblematic fountain square, facing the Palacio de Cibeles with its rooftop viewpoint over the city.

    Opening hours: Square always open; CentroCentro viewpoint Tue–Sun
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: La Carmencita (Traditional Madrid · €€ · Malasaña & Chueca) · 🚶 9 min walk
    La Barraca (Regional Spanish · €€ · Malasaña & Chueca) · 🚶 10 min walk

  9. 🚶 0.4 km · 6 min walk → Puerta de Alcalá

  10. Photo: Fernando Pascullo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia

    Puerta de Alcalá

    Landmark · Retiro & Salamanca · 10 min

    The 18th-century neoclassical triumphal gate on Plaza de la Independencia, next to the Retiro Park entrance.

    Opening hours: Always open (exterior)
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: La Giralda IV (Regional Spanish · €€ · Retiro & Salamanca) · 🚶 7 min walk
    La Carmencita (Traditional Madrid · €€ · Malasaña & Chueca) · 🚶 12 min walk

  11. 🚶 1.0 km · 12 min walk → Retiro Park (lake, Crystal Palace)

  12. Photo: Max Alexander / PromoMadrid · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia

    Retiro Park (lake, Crystal Palace)

    Park & garden · Retiro & Salamanca · 90 min

    The great city park, with a rowing lake, the glass Crystal Palace, rose garden and shaded promenades.

    Opening hours: Daily 06:00–22:00 (Oct–Mar)
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: Arzábal Retiro (Modern Spanish · €€€ · Retiro & Salamanca) · 🚶 11 min walk
    La Catapa (Tapas & bars · €€€ · Retiro & Salamanca) · 🚶 12 min walk

  13. Dinner suggestion Arzábal Retiro (Modern Spanish · €€€ · Retiro & Salamanca)
    near Retiro Park (lake, Crystal Palace) · 🚶 0.9 km · 11 min walk

Day 3 Sol & Gran Vía · Austrias & Royal Palace · Plaza de España & Casa de Campo · Malasaña & Chueca · La Latina & Lavapiés

  1. Photo: Felipe Gabaldón · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia

    Gran Vía

    Square & street · Sol & Gran Vía · 40 min

    Madrid's grand boulevard of early 20th-century façades, theatres, cinemas and shops, from Alcalá to Plaza de España.

    Opening hours: Always open
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: La Gloria de Montera (Modern Spanish · €€ · Sol & Gran Vía) · 🚶 3 min walk
    La Barraca (Regional Spanish · €€ · Malasaña & Chueca) · 🚶 5 min walk

  2. 🚶 1.3 km · 16 min walk → Plaza de Oriente

  3. Photo: Sammy pompon · CC0 · Wikimedia

    Plaza de Oriente

    Square & street · Austrias & Royal Palace · 20 min

    An elegant garden square between the Royal Palace and the Teatro Real, lined with statues of Spanish kings.

    Opening hours: Always open
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: Café de Oriente (Café · €€€ · Austrias & Royal Palace) · 🚶 3 min walk
    Taberna La Bola (Traditional Madrid · €€€ · Austrias & Royal Palace) · 🚶 5 min walk

  4. 🚶 0.8 km · 10 min walk → Plaza de España

  5. Photo: Carlos Delgado · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia

    Plaza de España

    Square & street · Plaza de España & Casa de Campo · 20 min

    A large square with the Cervantes monument, flanked by the Edificio España and Torre de Madrid skyscrapers.

    Opening hours: Always open
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: Mercado de los Mostenses (food bars) (Tapas & bars · € · Plaza de España & Casa de Campo) · 🚶 3 min walk
    Taberna La Bola (Traditional Madrid · €€€ · Austrias & Royal Palace) · 🚶 7 min walk

  6. 🚶 0.8 km · 10 min walk → Temple of Debod

  7. Photo: Matt Joseph · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia

    Temple of Debod

    Landmark · Plaza de España & Casa de Campo · 30 min

    An authentic 2nd-century BC Egyptian temple, moved stone by stone to a park with sunset views over Madrid.

    Opening hours: Tue–Sun 10:00–20:00 (16 Sep–14 Jun); grounds open all day
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: Taberna Úbeda (Regional Spanish · €€ · Plaza de España & Casa de Campo) · 🚶 5 min walk
    Casa Mingo (Regional Spanish · € · Plaza de España & Casa de Campo) · 🚶 11 min walk

  8. 🚶 1.5 km · 19 min walk → Malasaña
  9. Lunch suggestion Taberna Úbeda (Regional Spanish · €€ · Plaza de España & Casa de Campo)
    near Temple of Debod · 🚶 0.4 km · 5 min walk

  10. Photo: Tejiendo Malasaña · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia

    Malasaña

    Square & street · Malasaña & Chueca · 60 min

    The hip, bohemian quarter around Plaza del Dos de Mayo, full of vintage shops, cafés and street art.

    Opening hours: Always open
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: La Musa Malasaña (Tapas & bars · €€ · Malasaña & Chueca) · 🚶 4 min walk
    Pontepez (Modern Spanish · €€ · Malasaña & Chueca) · 🚶 6 min walk

  11. 🚇 20 min by metro (line Metro L5 La Latina → Chueca (via Ópera, Callao, Gran Vía); Tribunal for Malasaña is L1/L10 from Gran Vía: La Latina → Chueca) · 2.1 km · 26 min walk → La Latina & Cava Baja

  12. Photo: Fen Labalme from Pittsburgh, US · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia

    La Latina & Cava Baja

    Square & street · La Latina & Lavapiés · 60 min

    The old tapas quarter around Cava Baja and Plaza de la Paja, packed with bars and taverns.

    Opening hours: Always open (bars from lunchtime, busiest Sun midday and evenings)
    Price: Free

    Eat nearby: Casa Lucas (Modern Spanish · €€ · La Latina & Lavapiés) · 🚶 1 min walk
    Casa Lucio (Traditional Madrid · €€€ · La Latina & Lavapiés) · 🚶 1 min walk

  13. Dinner suggestion Casa Lucas (Modern Spanish · €€ · La Latina & Lavapiés)
    near La Latina & Cava Baja · 🚶 0.1 km · 1 min walk

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